Disposable tissue sock



Sept. 15, 1964 M. TIBBlT-rs DISPOSABLE TISSURE SOCK Filed Oct. 18, 1962 United States Patent O 3,148,463 DISPOSABLE TISSUE SOCK Mary Tibbitts, Woodland, Calif., assigner to Douglas G. Tibbitts, Jr., Woodland, Caiif. Filed Oct. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 231,507 4 Claims. (Cl. 36-44) This invention relates to a disposable tissue soc or stocking sole and relates more particularly to a stocking sole formed as a single unit or monolith of a plurality of layers of thin absorbent paper or the like, in laminar form to be inserted into a shoe, to replace, if desired, wearing a sock or other foot covering.

It is an object of this invention to provide a disposable tissue stocking sole which is inexpensive to manufacture and comfortable to the user.

A further object of this invention is to provide an article of the type described which need not be washed and reused but which may be disposed of after one wearing.

A still further object of this instant invention is the provision of a disposable sock of the type described which is always form fitting and does not wrinkle and show at the top of a ladys shoe as articles known heretofore having done after washing.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an article of manufacture which will function as a stocking sole and an innersole to protect both the shoe and the foot of the wearer.

Another object of this invention is to provide an article in which a plurality of absorbent paper layers are stitched or glued together with their edges crimped to form a unitary monolithic product.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide such an article having the layers held together by deforming the surfaces with three-dimensional designforming imprints which extend completely through the unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a disposable innersole or the like having a bottom waterproof layer to prevent perspiration from reaching the shoe sole.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a disposable sock of the type described having a toe retaining portion formed integral with the forward end of the same to facilitate using the article.

Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts, and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawing wherein there are disclosed preferred embodiments of this inventive concept.

Throughout the following description and claims the article of the instant invention is referred to as an innersole for convenience. It is to be understood that this appellation is merely descriptive and that the primary function of this article is to replace a sock or stocking.

In the drawing FIGURE 1 is a top plan View of one embodiment of a disposable innersole in accordance with the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view along line 2 2 of FIGURE 1 in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the innersole of FIGURE l showing the edge portions curled slightly upward at the inner end of the crimp.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of a further modification of the disposable innersole of the instant invention.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a portion of the innersole of FIGURE 4 showing the imprints extending completely through the top layers.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a still further modiiication of the innersole of the instant invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to ythe drawings in detail, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, reference numeral 10 generally indicates one embodiment of the disposable innersole of the instant invention. The innersole 10 can be seen to have a forward toe portion 12, a rear heel portion 14 and edge portions shown as crimped or sealed together at 16. The innersole is comprised of a plurality of layers or plies of an absorbent material, such as facial tissue paper or the like, three such layers being shown as a monolithic unit at 1S in FIGURES 2 and 5. In the embodiments of FIGURES 1-3, in addition to the sealing caused by the crimping of the edges 16, the layers 18 are held together by a plurality of longitudinally and transversely extending rows of stitches 20'. While the rows of stitches 20 are shown as only approaching the crimped edge portion 16, it is clear that for simplicity of manufacture they may extend over the entire surface of the innersole 10.

It is preferred to form the innersole 1G slightly larger than the sole portion of Ithe shoe in which it is to be used so that when the foot of the user is inserted into the shoe, the edge portion 16 will curl up at the inner end of the crimp to conform itself to the shape of the foot as shown in FIG. 3.

The modification or embodiment of FIG. 4 does not require the use of stitches such as 2@ to hold the plurality of layers 18 together as a monolith, but instead relies upon the use of an adhesive 22 between the layers 18 to form the integral or monolithic structure. To improve the bond between these layers a dye or design carrying rollers (not shown) may be pressed over the laminate to form a plurality of three-dimensional imprints 24. The design preferably extends completely through these layers. This improves not only the appearance and the comfortableness of the article, but also its durability.

In FIGURE 5, a cross section through one of the imprints 24 is shown. A flat or planar bottom layer 26 formed of a waterproof material is seen to be fixed to the projections in the lower surface of the layers 18 of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 5. Each of the upper layers 1S is formed of a tissue 'like material, as explained hereinbefore, which is absorbent and which will take up any perspiration. The bottom layer 26 will prevent this perspiration passing through to the material of the shoe which it might harm.

It is to be understood that such a layer as 26 may be aiiixed to the bottom surface of the embodiment shown in FIGURE l as well as shown in FIGURE 4 and if used with the latter, may have the imprint 24 pressed directly into and through it or the imprint may be secured after the upper layers 18 have been formed.

A further modication of either of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 or 4 is shown in FIGURE 6 wherein a toe-retaining envelope 28 is provided at the front portion 12 of the innersole lil. This envelope 28 may 4be formed in any conventional manner, such as by molding or by cutting flexible portions from the plurality of layers 12, folding them linto the envelope and adhesively sealing them together. If desired, a separate envelope 28 may be formed and then adhesively or otherwise affixed to the front portion 12 of the innersole 10. The top edge of tongue 2S is preferably formed with a central and rearwardly directed convexity smoothly merging at each side with smaller concave portions.

The use of the innersole of the instant invention will now be apparent. Any of the embodiments shown in FIGURES 1-5 will be lslipped into the shoe overlying the sole portion thereof and the foot of the user will 3 then be inserted. The innersole will form a protective layer between the sole of the shoe and the sole of the user. The edge portion 16 will mold itself to the foot of the user thereby avoiding the possibility that the innersole 10 will slip during walking.

Since the material of the layers 18 of the innersole 10V is absorbent, it will take up any perspiration and retain the same to provide a more comfortable and healthy atmosphere in the shoe. The bottom layer 26 will further improve the inersole by protecting the shoe from this perspiration.

To use the embodiment of FIGURE 6, the toes will be slipped into the envelope 2S while the remainder of the innersole 10 is held to the bottom of the foot and then the latter will be inserted into the shoe. This will greatly simplify retaining the innersole 10 stationary, relative to the foot of the user during lthe insertion procedure.

As hereinbefore pointed out, the manufacture of these articles is so inexpensive as to render them readily disposable. A plural-ity of these innersoles may be packed for sale with the user discarding one and inserting a new one each time the shoes are removed.

It can now be seen that there is herein provided a disposable innersole which satisfies all of the objects of the instant invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

This article may be slipped on in a shoe store to protect the shoe and to maintain the foot of the user free from infection.

It may also be used in a ch-iropodists ofce or a beauty salon to protect the foot after an examination or a pedicure. fi; Since many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept and since many modifications may be made of the embodiments herein shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as merely illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A disposable innersole for insertion into a shoe having a sole portion comprising a. plurality, at least of a magnitude of three, of layers of thin absorbent paper, each layer generally formed to the shape of said sole portion,

a coating of adhesive material disposed between each of said layers thus forming a monolith thereof,

and a plurality of three-dimensional design-forming imprints covering a substantial portion of the external surfaces of the monolith, the imprints extending completely through the Whole thickness of the monolith and defining mutually reversed surface depressions and projections at all cross sections, the projections at each surface being substantially planar,

whereby a cushioning effect is produced at each face of the monolith when contacting pressure applying planar surfaces due to the supporting projections and intermediate non-supporting depressions between each monolith face and each pressure applying surface.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein each of the layers is larger than the sole portion of the shoe thus forming edge portions completely therearound, and the edge portions are perpendicularly crimped thereacross,

thus adapting the edge portions to be bent upwardly at the inner end of the crimp and sharply away from the plane of the sole, when the innersole is inserted in the shoe.

3. The structure of claim 1 and further including a substantiallyA planar waterproof layer additionally secured to the bottom face of the monolith,

making secure contact between thev additional layer and the monolith only at the adjacent coplanar projections of the design imprints.

4. The structure of claim 1 and further including a toe-retaining envelope extending uninterruptedly completely across and above the front of the innersole and attached to the front edge monolith,

the envelope being boundedv at its top by a central and rearwardly directed convex edge,

smoothly merging at each side thereof with smaller concave edge portions.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,201,701 Crane Oct. 17, 1916 1,522,890 Krap ..2 Ian. 13, 1925 1,926,283 Herbert Sept. 12, 1933 2,265,089 Turbin Dec. 2, 1941 2,304,123 Rowe Dec. 8, 1942 2,537,156 Pennell Jan. 9, 1951 2,714,771 Olfene Aug. 9, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,207,149 France Aug. 31, 1959 488,255 Great Britain T June 30, 1938 

1. A DISPOSABLE INNERSOLE FOR INSERTION INTO A SHOE HAVING A SOLE PORTION COMPRISING A PLURALITY, AT LEAST OF A MAGNITUDE OF THREE, OF LAYERS OF THIN ABOSRBENT PAPER, EACH LAYER GENERALLY FORMED TO THE SHAPE OF SID SOLE PORTION, A COATING OF ADHESIVE MATERIAL DISPOSED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID LAYERS THUS FORMING A MONOLITH THEREOF, AND A PLURALITY OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL DESIGN-FORMING IMPRINTS COVERING A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE EXTERNAL SURFACES OF THE MONOLITH, THE IMPRINTS EXTENDING COMPLETELY THROUGH THE WHOLE THICKNESS OF THE MONOLITH AND DEFINING MUTUALLY REVERSED SURFACE DEPRESSIONS AND PROJECTIONS AT ALL CROSS SECTIONS, THE PROJECTIONS AT EACH SURFACE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR, WHEREBY A CUSHIONING EFFECT IS PRODUCED AT EACH FACE OF THE MONOLITH WHEN CONTACTING PRESSURE APPLYING PLANAR SURFACES DUE TO THE SUPPORTING PROJECTIONS AND INTERMEDIATE NON-SUPPORTING DEPRESSIONS BETWEEN EACH MONOLITH FACE AND EACH PRESSURE APPLYING SURFACE. 